History

Karl Pearson

Biometrician and supporter of social darwinism and eugenics, Pearson saw war against inferior races as a logical implication on his scientific work on human measurement. He believed that there was no point on spending money on lower classes. He used examples that large districts in Africa were undisturbed by white man, but had not produced a society like the Aryans.

"War Communism"

Economic and political system that existed in soviet russia during the Russian Civil war from 1918-1921. The policy was adopted by the Bolsheviks and their goal of keeping towns and the Red Army stocked with weapons and food. The system had to be used because of the ongoing war disrupted normal economic mechanisms and relations. Some of the policies included nationalization of all industries, state discipline with strikes not allowed, rationing of food and most commodities, imposition of labor duty on non working classes.

Gustav Le Bon

French Social Psychologist who concentrated on mass psychology and crowd behavior. His definition of crowd was that in a large group of people individuals lose control of his or her ideas and emotions. He argued that crowd behavior demonstrates that unconscious, not reason, plays a large part in actions. His significance is that during this era in Western Civilization, it played a large part in the thinking of the era. His thoughts about the collective groups idea being more important that the individual's thoughts.

Sigmund Freud

Freud was a neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, who believed that human behavior was largely motivated unconscious and irrational forces. His philosophies, as a child of the enlightenment are that of civilization with reason, valued science but he was interested in the power of nonrational drives. His significance is that he argued that people are not fundamentally rational and said that civilization imposes great sacrifices not only on man's sexuality but also on his aggressivity.

Heinrich von Treitschke

German Nationalist who was strong advocate of colonial expansion and whose advocacy of power politics was influential at home and contributed to the distrust of Germany Abroad. He was a bitter enemy of the British Empire and was largely responsible for the chauvinistic anti-British feelings of the 19th century. He supported anti-semitic attacks and his remarks became widespread controversy. He supported the idea of war and racism and claimed that the people of African Heritage were considered inferior. Treitschke's work was studied by Nazis and his anti-semitic views used as catchphrases by the Nazis.

Graham Wallas

He was an English Socialist whose book Great Society argued that a social-psychological analysis could explain the problems created by the impact of the industrial revolution on modern society. He contrast the role of nature and nurture in human society, concluding that humanity must rely heavily on the improvements in the future and put his faith in the development of stronger international operation.

Home Front & "Total" War

Home front is the term for the civilian populace of the nation at war as an active military support system, that the military depended on to produce goods and support services. This continuity of military effort from fighting soldier to manufacturing facility has profound effects on the concept of total war, in which every human resource in considered to be apart of the belligerent war effort. By this logic, they are part of the war effort and become legitimate targets for attack rather than protected non combats.

Vladimir Lenin

Lenin was a Russian Communist Revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. Lenin was the mastermind of the Bolshevik takeover of power in 1917. After a coup d'etat also known as the October Revolution, almost three years of civil war followed. During this period of revolution, famine, Lenin had a complete disregard for his suffering countrymen, he mercilessly defeated any opposition. Although ruthless, he was also pragmatic. He turned the Russian economy, to a social model and introduced the New Economic Policy.

Charles Darwin

Naturalist whose theory of evolution, which is the idea that all life is related and comes from a common ancestor, gave us a good blueprint of how life came to be but also proposed the idea that only the most fit individuals in a species survived to bear viable offspring, and this process of natural selection explained how certain traits were passed throughout the generations. Racist followers of Darwin used these arguments to claim that human races evolved over time

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty at the end of World War 1, which ended the state of war between Germany and the allied powers. One of the most important and controversial provisions required Germany to accept the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all loss and damage and was known as the War Guilt Clause. The treaty forced Germany to disarm, make substantial territorial concessions, and pay reparations to certain countries.

Propaganda in WWI & War Propaganda

The definition of propaganda is the promotion or spread of ideals,doctrines, or practices. Used to further your own cause or damage an opposing one. Propaganda was used for three main reasons, one to portray your enemy as a beast or savage killer, two to portray yourself or your cause and noble and strong, and three to define the duty of of people on the home front. One example of propaganda showed a German soldier kidnapping a young girl from Belgium with the title of 'Remember Belgium, Buy Liberty Bonds'

Fourteen Points

Wilson's Widely publicized Fourteen Points represented the spirit of idealism. Wilson had proposed the Fourteen Points before the war ended, as the foundation of a permanent peace. His Fourteen Points called for an impartial judgement of colonial claims in the interest of the population concerned. Wilson insisted on 'peace without victory', and insisted of the formation of the League of Nations to settle disputes and discourage aggression. The significance of the Fourteen Points is that Germany expected a treaty based on this, but was harshly reprimanded and therefore felt deceived.